Why do you pick the patterns you pick?

Yesterday, I posted a review of the Mochimochi book, and someone on Facebook said that she wanted the book, but not for Halloween. She said she works with children who have lost a family member in the military and the children would love them.

That got me to thinking. Why do we choose the patterns for the things we want to knit?

Sometimes I choose a pattern because it’s easy and will go fast, or because it’s easy and I won’t have to concentrate. Sometimes it’s to fill a need or express love to someone, like that woman who works with grieving children or like me when I knit a prayer shawl. But increasingly in the last year, I have noticed that I am choosing projects that either teach or revisit new shapes that I think might be more flattering to larger women. That’s no surprise, as I am one myself. But I’m evermore conscious that I am looking for new shapes and new techniques to make things more flattering.

I stopped working on my Swirl last spring when the weather got too hot to have all that knitted fabric on my lap.

Two of my works in progress (WIPs) are in this category. The Swirl sweater that I started last spring only needs a couple of more weeks of work, and I am looking at it this morning, thinking how nice it would be to get back to it, now that the weather is cooling off. Having all that knitted material on my lap over the summer would’ve been difficult, but now, it’d probably feel good. I’m very eager to see how the Swirl will fit on my body. I’m making the centered circle, although I think I was told the off-center oval would be the most flattering on my body type. The centered circle seemed like an easier choice for my first-ever Swirl, though, so went with that, and I’m hoping I won’t be sorry.

I almost finished the back of the Marie sweater last night. Looking forward to finishing that and getting the front done in a day or two.

The other new-technique sweater is, of course, the Marie sweater from “Knitting the Perfect Fit” by Melissa Leapman. I nearly finished the back last night, and I’m looking forward to the front, which will have a V-neck. The new technique in this sweater is having the diagonal lace panels travel across the front and back to fool the eye into seeing a more flattering shape. I am really looking forward to seeing how successful this is.

Once those two projects are finished, I am sort of torn about what to do next. I want to knit something that I can wear on those few formal occasions when I need to wear something dressy. I have some beautiful yarn in several colors up in the attic which has lurex threads (metalic looking) that I can use, and I’m thinking I would like to do something in gold. Perhaps another Nevis sweater, but with long sleeves. This yarn would be a good weight for that project.

And I haven’t chosen any knitting projects for Christmas this year. I need to get started on that soon. I haven’t given it much thought. I have some nice yarns, but I have no patterns in mind. My own dressy sweater may have to wait until I address the Christmas gifts list.

About Pam MacKenzie

Pam MacKenzie grew up in a real estate family. Her parents were real estate brokers and office managers, and she herself was a licensed agent in the 1970s. But early on, Pam discovered she'd much rather write about the industry than sell. Now in her eighth year as the real estate editor at the Courier News, Pam believes she has the best job at the paper. In this blog, she's on a mission to empower readers to give them a strong understanding of anything and everything that can impact their ability to own a home. And she believes passionately that when you understand the real estate industry in New Jersey, you understand so much more: the education system, economic and racial bias, the way politics works or doesn't work and ecology, to name a few. She invites everybody to leave lots of comments, even when they disagree with her.

About this Blog

Pam explores local knitting groups and yarn shops, critiques patterns and shares her wisdom on techniques for improving your craft.

About the author

Pam MacKenzie
Our real estate editor, Pam MacKenzie, expresses her creative side in this blog about knitting. Pam learned to knit at age 6, when her friend’s mother made Pam’s doll a dress, and Pam wanted to make more. Her mother wanted her to learn how to sew in high school, but she was afraid of the sewing machines, cutting fabric the wrong way, and the potential that sewing would have for bringing down her grade-point average. Every year, she managed to find a course conflict to avoid sewing classes. But the day after high school graduation, she took her graduation money to a fabric store, bought a kit to make a sweater, taught herself to read patterns and never looked back. These days, she knits a prayer shawl every month, along with sweaters, tote bags, gift bags and other goodies. She also designs many of her projects. Read More About PamE-mail Pam